Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister denies reports that his government has ordered a murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
After the Turkish government allegedly should have sound and video recordings of the crime, Riyadh reaffirms the will to clarify the case together.

Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister has rejected reports of contract killings in the case of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey. These are "unfounded allegations and lies," said Prince Abdel Aziz bin Saud bin Najef according to the Saudi state news agency SPA. Saudi Arabia adheres to international law and international conventions.

Khashoggi lacks every trace since a visit to the consulate of his country in Istanbul a week and a half ago. Turkish investigators believe the government critic was murdered by Saudi Arabian agents on his visit to the consulate on 2 October. Saudi Arabia denies this, but has so far failed to prove that Khashoggi left the building alive.

Riyadh wants to clarify the case together with Turkish investigators

The Saudi government recently tried to de-escalate the affair. After allegedly recording audio and video recordings of the journalist's murder, the Riyadh government said Friday it welcomes joint investigations with Turkey. The Home Secretary, who was the first Cabinet member to comment on the allegations against Riyadh, said he welcomed the cooperation with Turkey to clarify the circumstances of Khashoggi's disappearance.

The Washington Post had earlier reported that Turkish officials had told US officials about the footage of seeing and hearing Khashoggi being interrogated, tortured and murdered at the consulate. Subsequently, his body had been cut, reported the paper, for which the 59-year-old government critic had written columns since his escape from his home last year.

On Friday, a delegation from Saudi Arabia arrived for talks with the Turkish government in Ankara. On Tuesday, the Kingdom had agreed to a search of the consulate by the Turkish police, but so far this did not take place.

Jamal Khashoggi, the Uncomfortable

The journalist criticized the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and fled his homeland. Throughout his career, Khashoggi kept poking.